General Terms and Conditions

1. Objectives of the hackathon

Innovate with Forvis Mazars is an innovative and collaborative event designed to unite a diverse group of creative minds, developers, and problem solvers. This hackathon's main objective is to identify and apply cutting-edge technological advancements in our line of business by bringing together young, creative minds on a fulfilling platform outside the Forvis Mazars environment. With reference to our various service lines, this hackathon seeks to promote creativity, solve practical issues, and give participants a stage to demonstrate their technological prowess and creativity.

The Innovate with Forvis Mazars provides a thrilling platform for brilliant young minds to develop cutting-edge solutions with the guidance of experienced mentors. Our team of experts in innovation, technology and consulting will be on hand throughout the event to offer invaluable insights and support.

Fuel your passion for digital technology and innovation by collaborating with like-minded peers. The hackathon is a team competition, open to teams of 3 members and individuals between the ages of 18 – 35 years who will compete to develop innovative solutions that improve audit process accuracy, data science procedures to automate repetitive tasks, and enhance data security. These solutions can take the form of prototypes, models, software applications, or platforms.

We can help connect individual participants with potential teammates for a more enriching experience. The application process is inclusive and welcomes all talents, regardless of ethnicity, religion, political views, gender and sexual orientation.

2. Date and place of the event

The hackathon is scheduled to run from October 4 to November 15, 2024. While we strive to maintain these dates, unforeseen circumstances may necessitate adjustments. Any schedule changes will be communicated clearly and promptly through the Forvis Mazars website, social media platforms, and potentially via email to registered participants.

3. Registration

Registration for the hackathon opens on September 12, 2024, and closes on September 30, 2024, at 6:00 pm. Teams must register online, and only one registration is permitted per team. Upon submission, participants will receive a confirmation email. Shortlisted teams will be notified via email before October 4, 2024, which will serve as official confirmation to participate in the hackathon.

4. Eligibility Criteria

The hackathon is open to individuals aged 18 to 35 who have a passion for technology and innovation in sectors like artificial intelligence, data privacy, compliance, data analytics, and data science. Participants may include aspiring entrepreneurs, recent graduates, professionals, start-ups, and technology disruptors.

5. Rules of Participation and Requirements for Acceptance

• Registering for the hackathon is entirely free of charge and is open to teams of three (3) individuals.
• Teams and individuals wishing to sign up for the hackathon must complete the online registration by following the instructions on the registration page indicating their personal details. Such personal data will be processed in accordance with the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023.
• Participants are to ensure that the personal information provided upon registration online is true and accurate and must unconditionally accept all decisions made by hackathon organizers with regard to event organization.
• The admission of teams or individuals to the competition will be at the discretion of the organisers, provided that participants complete their registration within the indicated deadline, or any deadline extension where applicable.
• The teams competing must include a tertiary student in a Nigerian university and a female member as part of the team.
• Each team member's performance is directly tied to the team's outcome.
• Each team must be given a name as chosen by its members. Team names must not be connected in any way with the names of companies or registered trademarks or use expressions that incite violence or are discriminatory, obscene, or represent any form of defamation. Failure to comply will result in disqualification.
• If information provided during online registration is found to be incomplete and/or inaccurate, even if related to just one team member, the entire team concerned will be excluded from the competition.
• By accepting these terms and conditions and participating in the hackathon, each participant undertakes, for the entire duration of the competition, to make use of the facilities in which the competition is to be held and any material and equipment provided by the organizers with the utmost care and diligence and to comply fully with the rules of conduct and safety established. Event participants will be held liable for any damage caused to people or property.
• The participant is not permitted to engage in activities which, in the opinion of the organisers can, (i) cause damage to the hackathon, or one or more participants, visitors, groups of visitors or third parties or (ii) create nuisance in any other form not expressly permitted by the organisers. Should the organisers consider that one or more participants violate these obligations, the organisers may, at their sole discretion exclude the participants concerned or the team of which they form part, from the hackathon.
• Hackathon participants hereby acknowledge that event participation is free of charge and that participation does not entail any right to compensation of any kind or reimbursement of any expenses incurred.

6.  Theme and stages of the hackathon

The themes for the Innovate with Forvis Mazars hackathon competition are:

• AI in audit – using AI to improve the audit process accuracy and time efficiency.
• Data science/analytics – utilizing data science procedures to automate repetitive tasks such as reports.
• Data privacy & compliance – enhancing data security through tools for compliance and data privacy.

The three stages of the hackathon competition include the following:

• Ideation stage
• Development & mentorship
• Presentation of solutions

7. The Jury and Award

A distinguished jury composed of experts from our project partners and the hackathon organizers will evaluate your solutions. They will be looking for entries that clearly address the IWFM challenges, demonstrate innovation and creativity, and show potential for real-world implementation.

The winning teams will receive a total cash prize of $2000 (two thousand dollars) (subject to applicable tax deductions). The prize will be shared equally between the winning team and payment made via bank transfer to the winning team members’ designated account.

By participating, you have the opportunity to showcase your talent, win recognition, and make a positive impact on the future of mobility!

8. Intellectual property rights

• Ownership: all intellectual property rights (including, but not limited to, copyrights, patents, trademarks, trade secrets, inventions, know-how, and moral rights) developed, created, conceived, or arising during the hackathon (collectively, "developed works") shall be the sole and exclusive property of the forvis mazars (hereinafter referred to as "organizer(s)"). Participants hereby waive and assign to the organizer(s) all rights, titles, and interests in and to the developed works.
• Moral right: to the extent permitted by applicable law, participants waive any and all moral rights they may have in the developed works. We are committed to using these ideas ethically and responsibly.
• Pre-existing works: if any participant incorporates any pre-existing intellectual property into a developed work, such participant warrants that they have the full right and authority to grant the organizer(s) the rights outlined in this section.
• Public disclosure: participants agree that the organizer(s) may publicly disclose, use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, distribute, license, sublicense, or otherwise exploit the developed works for any purpose whatsoever, without any obligation to compensate the participant(s).

9. Use of images

Each participant hereby expressly authorizes and accepts that during the hackathon, organizers directly or through third parties may carry out photographs, screenshots and/or video recordings containing your image, likeness, or voice.

Each participant in the hackathon hereby:

• Freely and voluntarily transfer to organisers, for no charge and under the broadest terms accepted by law, the right to disseminate the aforementioned images and/or recordings in internal and external news of the organisers, including on social networks such as, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and the website and/or the organisers’ publications and magazines.
• Expressly waives any claim or legal action against the organisers for the use of the images, under this authorisation.
• Acknowledges that, in accordance with the current legislation on personal data protection, it has been informed that the organisers, as the data controller, shall archive the aforementioned images in its document collection systems and shall use them for the aforementioned purposes. The images shall be kept while necessary for the purpose for which they have been collected or until the interested party requests the cease of the activity. You may exercise your rights of access, rectification and erasure of your data and opposition to processing of your data by sending a letter to the organisers.
• Permits the publication and/or distribution of the photographs and recordings and indemnifies the organiser against any claims in this respect.

10. Data protection

We are committed to protecting your privacy. Your personal data will be collected, used, and disclosed solely for the hackathon project and solely in accordance with the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR). For additional information on our data practices, please refer to our website.

11. Confidentiality

The organizer(s) may disclose certain confidential information to participants during the hackathon (hereinafter referred to as "confidential information"). Confidential information includes, but is not limited to, non-public information about the organizer(s), its products or services, technology, and any information designated as confidential by the organizer(s).

Participants agree to hold the confidential information in confidence and not to disclose it to any third party without the prior written consent of the organizer(s).

The foregoing obligation of confidentiality shall not apply to information that: (a) was already known to the participant(s) at the time of disclosure by the organizer(s) without a confidentiality obligation; (b) is or becomes publicly known through no fault of the participant(s), or (c) is rightfully obtained by the participant(s) from a third party without a confidentiality obligation.

12. Disclaimer of Warranties

The organizer(s) provide the hackathon and all related materials "as is" and without warranties of any kind, express or implied. The organizer(s) disclaim all warranties, including, but not limited to, warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, non-infringement, and accuracy.

13. Limitation of Liability

The organizer(s) shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or exemplary damages arising out of or in connection with the hackathon, including but not limited to damages for loss of profits, data, goodwill, or use, even if the organizer(s) have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Unless expressly provided otherwise herein, the organisers shall not be obliged to intervene in any disputes to which it is not party, including but not limited to disputes between participants.

14. Governing law and dispute resolution

These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

If a dispute arises between the organisers and participants (“the parties”) in connection with the interpretation, implementation or operation of this terms and conditions which cannot be resolved amicably by the parties within 10 days of notice of the dispute by either of the parties, the parties and their legal representatives will resort to mediation under the Lagos state multidoor courthouse.

Each party shall bear its own costs and expenses of fees incurred in connection with the mediation process. The decision of the mediator shall be binding on both parties.

15. Entire agreement

These terms and conditions constitute the entire agreement between the participant(s) and the organizer(s) with respect to the subject matter hereof and supersede all prior or contemporaneous communications, representations, or agreements, whether oral or written.

16. Amendment

The organizer(s) reserve the right to amend these terms and conditions at any time by posting the amended terms on the hackathon website.

17. Hackathon: The Event

The IWFM is organized 100% online in the following order:

• Week 1: Hackathon kick-off/project submission
• Week 2: Review and selection of 10 teams
• Week 3: Onboarding/mentorship/toolset installation (hybrid)
• Week 4: Project submission/prototype presentation (hybrid)
• Week 5: Review and optimization/ selection of 5 teams (online)
• Week 6: Grand event / full project presentation (physical)

Each participant is expected to attend and participate in all program activities organized during the event period. A detailed agenda of all the activities would be shared to participants through emails.

18. Evaluation process

1. Step 1. Acceptance of the proposals of 10 groups with a video presentation of 3 minutes introducing the members of the team and their final solution.
2. Step 2. Groups are paired with a mentor to further develop and embellish their idea.
3. Step 3: Groups are given the opportunity to pitch their solutions in front of the jury.
4. Step 4. After jury deliberation, the teams whose solutions are better aligned with the challenges defined in the hackathon, as well as the main objective of the iwfm project, are announced.
5. Step 5. The top three teams will be awarded.